The Hungarian State Opera and the Erkel Theatre are to gain new a art studios and rehearsal centre. Establishing and equipping the new centre as well as preparing the refurbishment of the Opera House in Andrássy Avenue is to be financed by the government up to 14.425 billion HUF, announced Péter Hoppál, State Secretary for Culture and Szilveszter Ókovács, General Director of the Hungarian State Opera.

On 6 February, 2016 the special guest star of the Shakespeare Ball organized by the Hungarian State Opera is Plácido Domingo. One important feature of the ball revived in 2014 is that the greatest figures of the world of opera and ballet are invited to this exclusive event. The appearance of Domingo is extraordinary as it is the first time this significant personality of the classical music scene of the 20th and 21st centuries sings on the stage of the Opera House.

The most prestigious awards were presented to three opera singers, a ballet dancer and a member of the orchestra on 29 June, 2016 on the stage of the Erkel Theatre. The Chamber Singer for the 2015/16 season are Eszter Sümegi, Ildikó Komlósi and István Kovácsházi. Chamber Artist is cellist Endre Balog, the Étoile title was awarded to ballerina Lili Felméry.

The Night of Stars gala is a spectacular show to celebrate the best moments of the past season: the stage is graced by the greatest of the great, as well as the most promising young performers at the Erkel Theatre on 29 June from 7 p.m. The event is screened at St Stephen's Basilica in front of several thousand people in what is one of the summer's top free events. A collection is made by employees of Hungarian Interchurch Aid to assist disaster victims in Hungary. During the gala the recipients of the prestigious Chamber Singer, Etoile and Chamber Artist awards are announced.

The Opera’s ballet company will close both The Month of Dance and the season with The Karamazovs in Boris Eifman’s now-classic choreography. In addition to telling the well-known story in the language of dance, this grand ballet also explores the characters’ swirling minds, their complex relationships with each other and their internal struggles. The production will be staged at the Erkel Theatre from June 20, in a performance by the Hungarian National Ballet.

Similar to 2014 when the Strauss150 Festival crowned our 130th season, the Faust225 Festival aims to present the most concentrated event of this season on the 225th anniversary of the first publication of Goethe’s Faust – A Fragment. Five brilliant pieces built on the topic of Faust can be heard (among them the premiere of Gounod’s opera and the Hungarian premiere of Busoni’s work), with a rarity concert by the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra to conclude the series that spans over two weeks featuring world-wide acclaimed Hungarian singers and international guest stars.

Events

1. Spain is a country divided by civil war. The commander of the royalist troops, Count di Luna is in love with a lady-in-waiting to the Princess, but she does not respond to the Counts approaches. An unknown troubadour has been serenading Leonora for a while, and the jealous Count desperately wants to capture him. Count di Lunas men are guarding the Aragonian Palace, and captain Ferrando, in order to keep the soldiers awake, tells of a Gypsy womans terrible deed. She was sentenced to be burnt alive at the stake for bewitching the Counts young brother. In revenge, the Gypsy womans daughter abducted the child and, as the legend goes, threw him into the fire at the place where her mother had been killed. The burnt remains of a childs skeleton were found there, and Count di Lunas father soon died in his sorrow. As he was dying, the old Count, hoping that the burnt bones were not his sons, made his son swear to seek out the woman. They never found the Gypsy girl though.

2. In the garden of the palace, Leonora confesses to her friend Ines that she has fallen in love with a mysterious man she met before the war. It is he who serenades her as a troubadour every night. When they leave, Count di Luna arrives, and is almost maddened by his desire for Leonora. As he is walking towards her door, the troubadours song is heard in the darkness. Leonora rushes out to greet the singer, but she rushes into the Counts arms by mistake. The troubadour appears and reveals his identity: he is Manrico, leader of the army of the rebels. The furious

Count challenges him to a duel to the death.

Act Two: The Gypsy Woman

1. Manrico is about to win the duel, but, influenced by some strange instinct, steps back from the last and lethal thrust and leaves the Count alive.

The war continues, and the royalists triumph in the final battle. Manrico is seriously wounded, but his mother, the Gypsy Azucena, takes him from the battlefield to the mountains and cures him in a camp.

She is the Gypsy girl Count di Luna seeks. Her life is haunted by the memory of her mothers death and thirst for vengeance. Azucena begins to tell her terrible story.

She abducted the old Counts young son, but the boy, who she later killed, was her own son. When Manrico wants to know who he really is, Azucena gives evasive replies; it is only maternal love that she has always showed to him and Manrico should keep his oath to take revenge on the di Luna family. He learns that Leonora is going to a monastery because she believes that her beloved has died in battle and wants to escape the Count. He does not listen to his mothers advice and leaves for

Leonora immediately. Azucena sets off too.

2. Di Luna wants to attack the monastery with his troops and abduct Leonora by force. The girl is being prepared to take a solemn vow to become a nun when the

Count tries to abduct her, but Manrico and his men prevent him from doing so. A fight breaks out, and the two lovers escape in the turmoil.

Act Three: The son of the Gypsy Woman

1. Count di Luna and his army is about to attack the fortress where Manrico and his love have taken refuge. Ferrando drags Azucena to the scene; she has been captured near the camp. When she hears the name of di Luna, Azucenas reaction arouses Ferrandos suspicion and he recognises the murderer of the Counts brother in her. When Azucena cries out to Manrico, the Count realises how he might lure his enemy out of the castle… He orders his men to build a pyre to burn Azucena on the spot.

2. In the fortress, Leonora and Manrico are preparing for their wedding. The girl is terrified as a fight with di Luna seems unavoidable, and Manricos troops are largely outnumbered. The man swears eternal love to her. When they hear that Azucena has been captured, Manrico launches an attack on the Count and his troops.

Act Four: The Punishment

1. Manrico and his army are defeated; he and Azucena are imprisoned in da Lunas castle. Leonora, who has managed to escape with Manricos lieutenant, arrives at the castle. She says a prayer for the salvation of her beloved. The voice of a troubadour is heard from the castle. Count di Luna orders Manrico and Azucena to be executed. In exchange for the freedom of her love, Leonora offers herself to the

Count, who accepts the proposal unaware that his beloved has taken slow-acting poison.

2. In the dungeon, Manrico is trying to console Azucena, who is terrified of her imminent death by fire. Leonora rushes in and urges Manrico to flee. He realises his beloved has saved him; he rejects the girl, as well as the Counts pardon. But the poison begins to work, and Leonora dies in her lovers arms - before the eyes of the

Count. Di Luna has Manrico executed.

Azucena cries to the heavens: her vengeance has been fulfilled - the Count has killed his own brother.